Together

In 2011, I traveled the country to teach a series of workshops on creativity and self-expression and how important it is to design the life you want to live, rather than to wish you’d started designing it years prior. It felt easy and natural and I was lucky to share what I’d learned from a few years in marketing and design, a few more in entrepreneurship and blogging, and still a few more in flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants.

And then I had Bee, and my roots grew deeper and my grasp grew closer and I’d thought my desire to travel the world and teach creatives had perhaps taken flight. After all, what kind of wings can I wear with a baby strapped to my chest?

The truth, of course, is whatever kind of wings I want to wear. And next month, those wings I want to wear are flying me – all of us, in fact – to Singapore.

We’re kindly being hosted by my dear friend Irene of Bloesem fame and will be teaching as part of her studio class series (it’s going to be amazing, do come!) and here’s what you must know: this time I’ve got my trusty co-pilot by my side (the true star of the show!) – Ken.

A few years ago, HGTV.com asked Ken and I to co-teach a workshop about video blogging (vlogging, actually, but no one likes how that rolls off the tongue). And we did, and I was newly pregnant and feeling all sorts of hormonal about it, and Ken just waltzed in like his charismatic self and the attendees fell all sorts of head over heels for him. This is a normal occurrence for Ken because nearly everyone loves him. He’s the best kept not-so-secret of my life, and next month, he’ll be teaching alongside me for our first dual course: he in online video publishing; me in blogging/social media.

Working with your spouse can be a tricky art, and it’s taken us ten years and countless sighs and many uncomfortable conversations to realize that we work best separately together. You know what I mean? He takes ownership over his thing, and I take ownership over mine and he gets a 51% say on certain things and I get a 51% say on others. He’s the director and the accountant and the president; I’m the producer and the secretary and the task-master, and we work alongside each other, lane by lane, until we near the end of the project and the road widens and there we are – same car, same destination. We edit and strategize and refine each other’s work – and suddenly, we’ve created something we’re really proud of: separately, but together.

How exciting for you and your family! I can so relate to the working seprately together thing. It is tricky, but so rewarding if you can figure it out! Congratulations on your fun opportunity and adventure!

How exciting! I’m from Singapore and love reading about what others have to say about it. In fact, we’re heading to Singapore in a couple weeks! Hope you had a chance to check out all the wonderful food!